Remix

IMEA is pleased to announce that we have added a remix category to our popular statewide composition contest for high school students! We are also very excited to announce that platinum-selling artist, Moby, is encouraging Illinois high school students to remix a song from his latest album, destroyed. Additionally, Moby will listen to some of the best remixes! With the amount of access that today’s students have to digital music software, we believe that this contest is important in recognizing the various ways in which children both consume and compose music. It is our hope that the remix category will encourage lots of students to share their talents with other students, teachers, and musicians from all over the state.

How to enter:

1. Review all of the rules and regulations on this website and on the contest entry form.
2. Have a music teacher email sgm@ilmea.org to get information on how to download the digital stems from Moby’s album, Destroyed.
3. Wait to receive download information.
4. Create your remix!
5. Burn your completed remix (with title) to an audio CD.
6. Check the audio CD to make sure it plays in a standard CD player.
7. Send the audio CD, a completed composition contest entry form, and a check for $15 to the IMEA offices.

 

All submissions must be postmarked by November 1, 2012.

Complete instructions for entry can be found by downloading the entry form HERE (878.1 KB) .

 

2012 IMEA REMIX GENERAL INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS

If a remix is submitted that fails to follow of the IMEA requirements, it will be disqualified. When you speak with your students, please take the time to go over all of these requirements with them (especially the ones related to copyright). By taking the time to speak with them upfront, you can ensure that all of the time they spend on their remix will be time well spent.

Like every other category in our composition contest, any 9th - 12th grade student may participate - including students who will graduate before August 2012. The remixes must be less than five minutes in length and utilize the audio supplied by IMEA at our website. The remixes must be burned to an audio CD (not a data CD) and, along with a completed composition contest entry form, should be sent to the IMEA offices with a postmark before November 1, 2012. All of the forms and audio files are available at www.ilmea.org/remix.

The Moby samples provided by IMEA are a starting point for the compositions; students are strongly encouraged to explore a variety of genres and approaches to creating their final compositions. Due to copyright restrictions, the Moby audio samples can only be used for creating remixes for the IMEA contest - you do not have permission to use the files for any other reason (including products created for profit). Additionally, in order for IMEA to avoid any complications with copyright, please limit your remixes to the Moby samples and any original sounds you create.

Again, If a remix fails to follow all of the above requirements, it will be rejected from the contest. So, please make sure you avoid any potential problems by reviewing these guidelines with your students ahead of time.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Nick Jaworski at sgm@ilmea.org.  

Remixing Moby

Moby, a Grammy-nominated artist, has agreed to let Illinois students remix music from his latest album, Destroyed. Additionally, he will personally listen to the remixes of the finalists. Moby has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has been nominated for both Grammy and MTV Music Video Awards (among others). We are very grateful to both him and his representatives in allowing us to use his music for our contest. It is our hope that his prominence will help us spread the word about the contest and encourage music teachers and their students to get involved.

What is a remix?

A remixer uses one or more audio samples to create a new piece of music. For example, a vocal track that has been removed from the rest of the instruments can be placed within an entirely new backdrop of instruments and harmonies. The voice can also have its tone edited, and its pitch and rhythm changed. Another example would be when an audio sample is trimmed down to a single beat and then pitch corrected to create new melodies and rhythms. 

A variety of software is available to complete these tasks including Apple’s GarageBand and Logic Pro and the multi-platform Abelton Live. You can even create a remix using a simpledigital audio recording software (like the free and open-source program, Audacity). If you have any questions, simply find out what software you have access to and then use an Internet search engine to find out how you would make a remix using that software.

More about Moby

Moby has been making music since he was 9 years old. He started out playing classical guitar and then went on to play with seminal Connecticut hardcore punk group, The Vatican Commandoes, when he was 13. Moby started DJ'ing after leaving college, and was a fixture in the late 80's New York house and hip-hop scenes.

Moby’s first single, Go, was released in 1991 and has been listed as one of Rolling Stones’ “Best Records of All Time”. He has been making albums ever since. His own records have sold over 20,000,000 copies worldwide, and he's also produced and remixed scores of other artists, including David Bowie, Metallica, The Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy.

He has toured tirelessly, playing well over 3,000 concerts in his career, and has also had his music used in hundreds of different films, including Heat, Any Given Sunday, Tomorrow Never Dies, and The Beach. 

Moby works closely with a variety of different charities, including the Humane Society and The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. In 2007, he launched 'mobygratis', which provides free music for independent filmmakers. His latest album and photography book, both titled, Destroyed, were released in May 2011 through Moby's label, Little Idiot, and Damiani Publishing. Visit www.moby.com more information about Moby.